


And I love you.

by aWintersWidow



Category: Marvel-616
Genre: F/M, post Widow Hunt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-13
Updated: 2016-09-13
Packaged: 2018-08-14 20:37:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8028121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aWintersWidow/pseuds/aWintersWidow
Summary: Natasha remembers, so she decides to confront Bucky. Maybe things didn't go as originally planned.





	And I love you.

⠀  
“James.”  
Her voice cut right through him, of course it did, that was no surprise; what was, a surprise, however, what the fact that she, Natalia, was here, in his apartment, on his couch, and he hadn't let her in. In fact, he had just come home, so she had been her a while.

“Natasha.”  
He replied, using her more commonly known name instead of the one that made things feel more intimate between the two.

She watched him, carefully, before pushing herself off the couch and walking over to him, a sway in her hips as she moved. Beautiful, as always.

The male stood by his now-closed door, his arms across his chest with blue eyes locked onto the spy in his house. She shouldn't be here, it didn't make any sense, unless of course—.

“I remember.”  
It was barely a whisper as she got closer, close enough to touch him but never reaching out.

The Soldier's jaw clenched, his whole body shifted only slightly. Was this real? Did she really remember? After all this time?

“I remember everything,” she continued, stepping back from him again as she pursed her lips, “I remember being kidnapped, being brainwashed, being triggered. I remember the hospital, I remember all the questions they asked, all the things they wanted to know. . . I remember you.”

Natalia could see it now, the tears burning in James' beautiful eyes, all the emotions he was trying to hide, but he couldn't, he never could, not when it came to her.

“— And I remember I was told that you left, that you walked away, that you gave up on me.”

“It wasn't like that.” James quickly retorted, stepping forward as if to reach out, but he didn't, he simply let his arms fall down to his sides, only then to whisper, “It wasn't like that.”

“Then what was it like?” The redhead asked, brow cocking upward, curiously, and clearly not convinced.

With a sigh, James moved over and sat down on his couch. He ran his flesh hand through his hair before uttering, “I didn't want them to hurt you, I didn't want them inside your mind. You've had enough of that, didn't want you to go through it again.” 

It was then that Natalia sat down next to him, a softer expression across her features as she asked, “So you were just looking out for me?”

He nodded before looking up at her, “I just wanted the best for you, and the best isn't having your head messed with only to be stuck with me.” He said with a bittersweet smile.

Though her expression changed, her brows furrowed as she shook her head, “To be ‘stuck’ with you? When was I ever ‘stuck’ with you? James, every moment I've been by your side was my choice, no one else's.”

He simply stared at her for a moment, before shrugging, “It feels like you're stuck with me, you don't want to leave because I'll probably get myself killed. Like you're committed to looking after me.” 

“I'm not committed to anyone,” that was the moment when she stood up and took a step back, looking down at him, “Every moment I've been with you was because I wanted to be there, because I loved you.”

He watched her, in silence, before lowering his head and whispering, “And I love you.”

“Then maybe you shouldn't have left me.”

And within a few moments, he heard her walking away with his apartment door slamming behind her.  
She had the right to walk away, he wasn't going to stop her.

He was just wishing he had reached out.


End file.
